When Fairfield resident, Ingrid Prueher, wanted to practice yoga 12 years ago she was strapped for cash. Luckily, she was fortunate enough to find a studio with a volunteer program called Seva, which means a selfless service performed to benefit others. This altruistic endeavor enabled Ingrid to set up a barter plan: She donated her time at the front desk in exchange for complimentary classes. Serendipitously, Prueher, has come full circle as the proud new owner of said yoga studio, Yoga for Everybody. And yes, she of course kept the Seva Program.
A formidable fixture in the Fairfield yoga world, Yoga for Everybody began in 1997 at a different location and has had a handful of different owners. Twenty-five years later, the relocation to Sportsplex@Fairfield is just one of the myriad changes under Prueher’s leadership. For starters, there’s an intensely passionate focus on inclusivity whereby the name “Yoga for Everybody” literally means what it says. “No one should ever feel uncomfortable or excluded from our studio or our virtual classes,” states Prueher, proudly. “We don’t care about your experience level, your ethnicity, your shape, or anything else for that matter.” For Prueher, it’s about so much more than yoga. “It doesn’t even have to be about movement – it’s more about a mindset and the holistic wellness experience.”
In a time where the mental health crisis is front and center, and the so-called “woo-woo” modalities are starting to become mainstream, Prueher has made it her mission to bring mindful education beyond the mat. Which is why in addition to traditional classes like Flow Yoga and Restorative Yoga, to niche-centric classes like Yoga for Office Workers, she has carefully curated a bevy of highly specialized workshops for those looking to take a deep dive into alternative practices. This summer, inquisitive practitioners and wellness warriors alike can try their hand in Shamanic Healing, as well as the uber-popular, celebrity-touted, Wim Hof Method.
If your starting point is simply a yoga or a meditation class, there are plenty of weekly classes to choose from. However, if you’re looking to get out of your comfort zone, here’s what’s on tap this month at Yoga for Everybody:
Feel it To Heal It: Saturday, April 2nd, 1-4pm
We often we carry around emotion attached to a situation or event. Getting stuck in emotion can prevent us from truly living freely and authentically. During this three-hour workshop, you will have the opportunity to use the profound tool of yoga nidra to access and release emotional blocks. Here’s the lowdown:
• Participate in two yoga nidra experiences
• Develop a deeper understanding of the role of emotions and how to identify blocks
• Gain more equanimity around feelings
• Uncover a process to neutralize and integrate emotions
Sound Healing Gong Bath: Saturday, April 2nd, 4:30-5:30pm
Known as a Gong Bath, the gong creates an ocean of sound that is profoundly relaxing; a state which activates the parasympathetic nervous system to balance the over-amped, over-taxed sympathetic nervous system. The gong’s sound gently reverberates over the entire body to calm, relax, and soothe. Typically, the listener’s heart rate slows, blood pressure drops, and breath is restored to its natural rhythm resulting in a meditative state of the mind.
Yoga Nidra & Gong Relaxation: Sat, April 30th, 4:30-5:30pm
Yoga Nidra is an ancient form of guided meditation that will take you into the deepest levels of relaxation while remaining fully aware. The gong creates an elemental vibration that resets our magnetic field, allowing us to transcend the habitual energetic layers of the mind. This workshop includes mindful breathing, intention setting, yoga nidra, and gong relaxation.
See you on the mat. Namaste.
